Posted By John Mossman On November 29, 2012 @ 4:07 pm In Colorado Business,Economic Development,Economy,Retail | No Comments

Sir Richard’s Condom Co. of Boulder announced Thursday the delivery of 500,000 condoms to the Partners in Health warehouse in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The KORE condoms will be made available for free at PIH clinics, including the Mirebalais National Teaching Hospital, built by PIH in collaboration with Haiti’s Ministry of Health. The hospital, scheduled to open in 2013, will emphasize women’s health and reproductive support.

Sir Richard’s chief executive Jim Moscou said the shipment arrived in Haiti on Sept. 11 but essentially had been sitting in customs because of delays and red tape until this week.

It is the first formal delivery of condoms by Sir Richard’s to a developing country. For every condom sold, Sir Richard’s has pledged to donate a condom to a developing country in an attempt to combat HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

Besides addressing a worldwide shortage of condoms, Moscou said Sir Richard’s has delivered a product and brand that is culturally relevant to Haitians in hopes of promoting usage. KORE — pronounced kor-ay — is a slang term that translates as “I have your back.”

“Knowing KORE has arrived and is now in the good hands of Partners in Health is an incredible moment for all of us at Sir Richard’s,” Moscou said. “We’ve taken the first step in accomplishing what we dared — to prove the power of business can be used to help promote global health.”

Moscou hinted that Sir Richard’s next donation would be even bigger. “We’re looking at seven figures,” he said, without disclosing the destination.

Sir Richard’s will begin launching its products in the United Kingdom the week of Dec. 9. They’ll be in Whole Foods Markets/London and other retailers by Jan. 1.

Added Moscou: “We’re up for a major design award there on Dec. 12 for best young company.”